Catana Ocean Class called Piment Rouge will start at the Transatlantic ARC+

by Catana Group 4 Apr 2024 15:53 UTC

Piment Rouge, the instantly recognisable catamaran that criss-crosses the oceans between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean and one of the great regulars on the ARC Plus, is continuing her adventures under the Catana colours.

Pierre De Saint Vincent and his crew will be taking part in the 2024 edition of the ARC Plus for the third consecutive time, but now, aboard his new Catana Ocean Class.

The aim: to have fun sailing, to perform as well as in previous years, but above all to enjoy the comfort offered by the brand's latest addition!

Benjamin Monier - photo © Catana

From the first sea-trial to the finalisation of the project

"The first sea trial with Pierre was pretty eventful and is one I won't forget. It was in October 2022, after we'd first met that summer," recalls Benjamin Monier, sales manager at Catana Catamarans.

The wind that day suddenly built in intensity. The light breeze we had as we set out sailing increased to an easterly wind of 25 to 30 knots as we got offshore. Ocean Class n degrees1 kept up her sporty demeanour, reflecting the character of Piment Rouge, sailing with boatspeed identical to the windspeed, until she quickly reached double-digits.

"After 4 trips out in various conditions aboard Catana's demo boat, I was won over by its performance: it sails well, goes well upwind and for me, it's a boat that has really great performance," explains Pierre De Saint Vincent.

The new Piment Rouge was built step by step, in interaction with all the stakeholders. Pierre's project was well-defined and well-planned. There were regular exchanges on new features and elements to be incorporated into Piment Rouge, as well as feedback from both production and sailing.

Catana Ocean Class - photo © Catana

Piment Rouge, a tailor-made Catana

Piment Rouge has been built selecting all the options for performance: carbon mast, performance sail pack comprising 7 sails: Mainsail in carbon membrane, staysail, membrane genoa, Code 0, gennaker, spinnaker and even a Blue Water Runner, all for making the most of every wind angle and wind strength at optimum speed.

In terms of comfort, there's everything Pierre needs to live aboard while enjoying a full programme of ocean sailing: a large volume of chilled storage (over 500 litres), a 9 kg washing machine and air conditioning. Piment Rouge will even be equipped with a wine cellar, half of which will be used to store fruit and vegetables.

"When you live on your boat, as I do," explains Pierre De Saint Vincent, "Comfort and layout are far from negligible factors. I've sailed 45,000 miles in less than 3 years in all conditions, including some tough transatlantic passages, so a comfortable and protected helm station in all weathers is very much appreciated. The Catana's layout is top quality and very functional, with a real bench seat for watchkeeping and a comfortable seat at the chart table, not to mention the numerous storage options, which are always much sought-after on a boat!"

Piment Rouge is also a catamaran with a great level of self-sufficiency. It has 2 kW of solar panels on the coachroof, a 4-kW generator and an 800-Ah lithium battery bank. In terms of water, there are 2 tanks of 400 litres each positioned in the bilges just forward of the daggerboards, 2 water heaters of 60 litres each, and a 12 V watermaker that will enable the tanks to be filled at a rate of 90 litres per hour with less electrical consumption. The 2 fuel tanks with the same capacity as the water (2x400 L) are positioned in the bilges just aft of the daggerboards.

Piment Rouge also has a very good sound system, with a 1600-watt output and speakers at the front of the catamaran, a real special feature on this boat.

Finally, what makes Piment Rouge so special is her livery! Most of which will be made up of 2 colours: White and Red. Nothing has been left out! From the UV strips on the sails to the lazy bag, the bimini, all the upholstery and the hull decor have been meticulously chosen by Pierre.

Catana Ocean Class - photo © Catana

A sporty programme

Piment Rouge's programme, which begins in June when she leaves the yard, is very full. After Following seatrials in the Mediterranean, Piment Rouge will head for the Port of Cannes for the Yachting Festival taking place from 10th to 15th September. She will be on display and available to visitors throughout the show. The event will also provide an opportunity to celebrate her christening with a Musical Evening.

After being in the spotlight in Cannes, Piment Rouge will head down the coast to Canet en Roussillon, for an inauguration at the shipyard before setting sail, bound for the ARC Plus!

This will be Piment Rouge's 3rd participation in the ARC Plus Atlantic transatlantic race. On the strength of their previous experience, Pierre and his crew are ready for a sporty Atlantic crossing!

"We'll be taking part in the ARC Plus for the third time, hoping to remain unbeaten with our Catana 50 Piment Rouge. I like the atmosphere, the stopover in Cape Verde and the organisation of the rally. Part of the fleet is really competing to win and it's very exhilarating to be able to compare ourselves with catamarans of similar performance.

We've got a great challenge ahead of us this year with a lot of competitors, which will enable us to really judge the performance of our new catamaran".

The departure for Gran Canaria will be on 30th September 2024 from Canet en Roussillon, with arrival in Las Palmas in cruising mode scheduled for early November. There, Piment Rouge and the crew will have a few days to prepare before the start of the first leg to Mindelo, Cape Verde, on 10th November.